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Mikel Arteta hints summer signing could make Arsenal debut vs Preston
By Kian Long
Ahead of the EFL Cup Round of 16 tie against Preston tonight, Mikel Arteta has hinted a summer signing could finally make his Arsenal debut.
Tonight, Arsenal come up against Preston in the EFL Cup Round of 16. It is an excellent opportunity for Arsenal to secure their place in the final eight of the competition, after playing just two games.
In the third round, Arsenal faced Bolton Wanderers. It was a fairly routine home win for the Gunners, winning the match 5-1.
It wasn't just the goals which flurried in for Arsenal, fans were also treated to a pretty magical moment. Goalkeeper Jack Porter made his debut between the sticks, becoming Arsenal's youngest goalkeeper in history.
However, there could be a new Arsenal debut tonight.
Mikel Arteta hints summer signing could make Arsenal debut vs Preston
Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Mikel Arteta had some pretty interesting things to say about Tommy Setford. The young goalkeeper who was signed from Ajax has not yet made his Arsenal debut.
In his own words, Mikel Arteta said: "Obviously we brought him because we know that he’s got the qualities that we’re looking for for our goalkeeping area, but unfortunately he’s been injured so he hasn’t really played. Let’s see if we will play him [against Preston]."
If Tommy Setford were to play his first game between the sticks, he would not break Jack Porter's impressive record. Nevertheless, it would be a monumental occasion for the summer signing.
David Raya was injured for the last match against Bolton. This is why Porter was afforded the opportunity of a lifetime. Whether or not Raya is rested, with the weekend's Premier League fixture in mind, remains to be seen.
It goes without saying that Mikel Arteta is a big fan of Tommy Setford. He even acclaimed his attributes to fitting what Arsenal were after. So, there could be no better time to play him.
Of course, the odds are stacked heavily against Setford. It is more likely to be David Raya who starts tonight's game. However, it also wouldn't come as a surprise to see Setford handed his full debut.
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